Test system.



A. H. DONAHOE.

TEST SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED 00116. 1915.

1,209,407. Patented De0.19,1916.

/i 7255565 7 1,; 307w fi Qa 5465f UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED H. DONAHOE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB TO ASSOCIATED ENGINEERS COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

TEST SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 19, 1916.

Application filed October 16, 1915. 7 Serial No. 56,228.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED H. DONAHOE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the'county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and use useful Improvement in Test Systems, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification;

My invention relates to signaling systems and is of particular utility in connection with centralstation work where it can, for instance, be utilized to properly give answer back signals as to the condition of remotely controlled apparatus.

My invention further contemplates the provision of an improved style of signal in which dangers of short circuit or improper actuation are avoided, thus to insure absolute reliance upon the indications which the system is designed togive.

In one form of carrying out the invention, and which is the one selected for illustration herein, the system is applied to the control of an oil switch, for instance, which is remotely controlled, and inv which suitable automatically stopped motor mechanism is utilized to move the switch from one position to its alternative position. At the point of control remote for the switch, I provide a pair ofsignals so arranged that an answer back signal is given to indicate after the operation of the switch that such operation has been completed, and that the switch is ready for an alternative movement, if desired. The signals may also be used to continuously indicate the condition of the switch, that is, the position it occupies.

My present invention relates, as stated, to the style of signal and the arrangement of the system.

I will explain this particular form of use of my inventionin connection with the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1, is a diagrammatic circuit arrangement of the system constructed in accordance with my invention and using my improved signal; Fig. 2 is a front view of a panel section of a switchboard structure showing the manner of mounting; Fig.3 is a rear view thereof, and Fig. 4 is a side View of my improved signal.

The system in which my lnvention finds particular use is shown diagrammatically in Fig. 1, when it is desired to operate, for instance, a remotely-controlled oil switch havmg the operating coils 1 and 2, which operating' coils receive their current from a direct current local station circuit consisting of the conductors 3 and 1. This local circuit which is supplied by the generator 5 is not the outgoing power circuit of the generator station, but is merely the local direct' current source of power utilized for operating auxiliary apparatus in the generator station itself. Whenever the oil switch moves from one position to another it moves the contact element 6 from the position shown in Fig. 1 where it connects together thecontacts 7 and 8 to its alternative position where it connects together the contacts 9 and 10. The coils 1 and 2 of course are merely starting coils to start the motor,

which automatically stops itself when its movement is completed as readily understood in the art, all as apparent from the dotted indication of such a switch shown in Fig. 1.

My improved switch board panel 11 which is at the point of control has mounted upon it a switch consisting of the switch lever 12 which is adapted to contact either with the contact 13 or the contact 14 as the case may be. The switchboard panel is also provided with two of my improved lamps or signals 15, 16, which have the construction more clearly shown in Fig. 4:, and which are held in place upon the mounting clips 17. The panel is also provided at its rear with three resistance elements 18, 19 and 20 as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3p Tracing now the circuit conditions, it will be seen that the switch arms 12 are connected directly to the main 3. The main 3 extends by means of the conductor 21 to a terminal of the resistances 18. From the other terminal 22 of this resistance 18the connection extends to one terminal of lamp 15, and also to one terminal of the lamp 16. The remaining terminal of the lamp 15 then extends conductively through the resistance 20 to v the contact 13, and the remaining terminal of the lamp 16 extends conductively through the resistance 19, to the terminal 14. The terminals 13 and 1 1 then are connected by means of conductors 23 and 2 1 to terminals of the starting coils 1 and 2. The remaining terminals of the starting coils 1 and 2 then are connected respectively to the contact 16, resistance 18, conductor 21,-to the main 3.

The inclusion in this circuit of the lamp 16 and the resistances 18 and 19 prevents the coil 1 from being operatively energized. Now should it be desired to energize this coil, then the switch arm 12 is moved from the position it occupies into engagement with the contact 1 1 and the circuit through the coil 1 may then be traced from the main 4, by way of'conductor 25, through contacts 8 and 7, coil 1, contact 14, switch arm 12, and conductor 26 to the main 3. The lamp 16 and coils 18 and 19 are thus short circuited and the coil 1 is operatively energized to move the oil switch to its alternative position. At the same time the contact element 6 moves into engagement with the contacts 9 and 10which indicates by the ignition of the lamp 15 that the operation of moving the oil switch to its alternative position has been completed, and that the switch is in condition to be operated back to its original position if desired. The lamp 15 will now be in circuit similarly as the lamp 16 was in circuit heretofore. 1

My improved signal as shown consists of the glass shell 27 which is capped by the copper heads 28, 28, to which copper heads the filament 29 is of course soldered or otherwise suitably electrically connected.

This filament 29 is wavy as shown so that the signal answers as a daylight signal, in that the lineal reflection which is frequently obtained from the ,tubes through sunlight will not be mistaken for a glowing filament. The glass shells are preferably made of green and red coloration so as to be readily distinguishable. will be seen, does not includea looped filament, which filament when breaking or otherwise, or due to the contacts in the socket becomes short circuited, thus being liable to cause serious accidents in the operation of remotely controlled apparatus. It will be seen that the breakage of-this filament cannot cause a short circuit, nor can there be a short circuit in the lamp base, as there is no lamp base, strictly speaking, the terminal springs having been mounted apart to accommodate the lamp.

It will be understood of course that the short circuiting of the resistances included in series with the coil 1 under the conditions shown would cause ,an operation of that coil, and this short circuiting of the resistance or signal isprevented by the use of the particular style of filament and lamp referred to.

This improved signal, as

board for the insertion of bulls-eye signal lights. Visibility is also greatly increased. Bulls-eye signals are very misleading in daylight which may be due to sunlight behind the switchboard, or even sunlight shining directly on the switchboard, or any other reflected light would accomplish the same result. The general arrangement of this system greatly increases the factor of safety. The location of the signals on the-front of the board increases accessibility which is very important with inclosed types of control boards, such as bench boards. A single unitary structure can also be provided as shown, thus greatly increasing the simplicity. From what has been described it is thought the nature'of my invention will be readily clear to those skilled in the art, and that my invention is susceptible of many modifications.

Having however thus described one form of my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: 1. A signaling-system of the character described comprising a translating device, remotely located circuit controlling means for controlling the selective operation of said translating device, switching mechanism at said translating device and operable into its alternative positions in accordance with the actuations of said translating device, for controlling the character of actua-.

tion of said translating device, a plurality of signals in proximity to said circuit controlling means and selectively controlled by said circuit controlling means and said switching mechanism, resistances for said signals, and a panel board upon which said signals, resistances, and circuit controlling means are mounted, said signals and circuit controlling means being mounted on the front face of said panel'board, and said resistances being mounted rearwardly of.

of signals in proximity to said circuitcon trolling means and selectively controlled by said circuit controlling means and said switching mechanism, said circuit controlling means and said switching mechanism controlling vsaid signals over common circuits, resistances for said signals, and a panel board upon which said signals, resistances, and circuit controlling means are mounted,. said signals and circuit controlling means being mounted on the front face of said panel board, and said resistances being mounted rearwardly of said panel board.

3. A signaling system of the character described comprising a translating device, remotely located circuit controlling means for controlling the selective operation of said translating device, switching mechanism at said translating device and operable intoits alternative positions in accordance with the actuations of said translating device, for controlling the character of actua tion of said translating device, a plurality of: signals in proximity to said circuit controlling means and selectively controlled by 4 board, and said resistances said circuit controlling means and said switching mechanism, said circuit controlling means when actuated into one or the other of its positions serving to short circuit one or the other of said signals, resistances for said signals, and a panel board upon which said signals, resistances, and circuit controlling means are mounted, said signals and circuit controlling means being mounted on the front face of said panel being mounted rearwardly of said panel board.

4:. A signaling system of the character described comprising a translating device, remotely located circuit controlling means for controlling the selective operation of said translating device, switching mechanism at said translating device and operable into its alternative positions in accordance with the actuations of said translating device, for controlling the character of actuation of said translating device, a plurality of signals in proximity to said circuit controlling means and selectively controlled by said circuit controlling means and said switching mechanism, said circuit controlling means and said switching mechanism controlling said signals over common circuits, said circuit controlling means when actuated into one or the other of its positions serving to short circuit one or the other of said signals, resistances for said signals, and a panel board upon which said signals, resistances, and circuit controlling means are mounted, said signals and circuit controlling means being mounted on the front face of said panel board, and said resistances being mounted rearwardly of said panel board.

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this 8th day of October, A. D.

ALFRED H. DONAHOE. Witnesses:

HAZEL A. Jonas, A. LYDA Jonas. 

